A Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja was on Wednesday instructed how a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Lawrence Adedibu Ojerinde allegedly floated eight corporations, bought three buildings and financial institution shares by way of his cronies whereas holding public workplace.
The businesses, buildings, (two duplexes and a bungalow) and financial institution shares had been stated to have been acquired by Ojerinde when he held sway as Chief Government of JAMB.
A witness of the Impartial Corrupt Practices and different associated offences Fee (ICPC), Peter Iyiola Oyewole made the revelations whereas testifying for the anti-graft company in a N5.2bn corruption expenses in opposition to Ojerinde.
The witness who’s a Authorized Adviser to the ex-JAMB Registrar admitted that he integrated the eight corporations and bought the three homes for Ojerinde as his shopper on oral and written directions.
The alleged corporations are Oke-Afin Boys and Women Hostel Restricted, Sapati Worldwide College, Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Restricted, Cheng Marbles Restricted, Standout Institute Restricted, Trillion Studying Middle Restricted, Grace Petroleum Restricted and Ifelodun Communications Restricted.
Certificates of Incorporation for the businesses and title paperwork of the three buildings allegedly bought for the defendant in Abuja had been tendered and admitted as displays by the court docket.
Led in proof by ICPC counsel, Mr Ebenezer Sogunle, the witness who claimed to have been referred to as to the Nigerian Bar in 1999 instructed Justice Obiora Egwuatu that the businesses had been floated within the names equipped him by the defendant.
He testified that Ojerinde was registered as Director in two of the businesses whereas names of his cronies had been used as Administrators in the remaining including that he by no means met any of the cronies on the time he was utilizing their names on the Company Affairs Fee.
The cronies used to register the businesses are Ojerinde Dayo, Ojerinde Olumide, Awodayo Habib, Adeyanju Gbenga, Ojerinde Olutoyin, Ojerinde Akanbi, Ojerinde Adedayo, Olayiwola Ayanwale and Ibrahim Danmusa, Ojerinde Dibu, Sanusi Alade Najeem amongst others.
He stated the receipts obtained in the middle of transactions for the defendant had been obtained and acknowledged in writing on behalf of the defendant by his son and a serving member of the Home of Representatives, Honourable Olumide Ojerinde.
The witness who claimed to be an indigene of the identical city, Igboho, as Ojerinde denied registering corporations for the defendant to blackmail him including that all the things he did was on the directions of the defendant.
To buttress his proof, the witness tendered 12 letters exchanged between him and the defendant in addition to 17 photocopies of financial institution drafts issued for his fee for the registration of the businesses and the acquisition of the three buildings.
He stated photocopies of the financial institution drafts had been delivered to him by one Dr Jimoh Olabisi, a former Director of Finance in JAMB and had been admitted as displays.
The witness additional instructed the court docket that Ojerinde acquired hundreds of thousands of shares at Osanta Mico-Finance Restricted along with being a Director with the Financial institution on the time he was JAMB Registrar.
Nevertheless, Ojerinde’s counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku SAN, couldn’t cross-examine the witness on the grounds that a number of paperwork tendered and admitted as displays weren’t a part of the proof of proof equipped him.
The senior lawyer utilized for an adjournment to allow him get hold of the paperwork and thoroughly examine them.
Following the shortage of objection from the ICPC counsel, Justice Obiora Egwuatu fastened April four and 5 for the continuation of trial.
The anti-graft company had final 12 months slammed 18-count legal expenses in opposition to Ojerinde bothering on alleged diversion of public funds to the tune of N5M.2B. NAIJATABLOID
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